Trailer hitch

ABSTRACT

A trailer hitch for a towing vehicle, providing the capability for towing trailing vehicles having either ball and socket or ring and pintle hitching arrangements. The hitch includes a base which supports an upright pintle and a movable ring retaining bracket. When a ring and pintle hitching arrangement is required, the towing ring on a trailing vehicle is placed over the pintle. The retaining bracket is then moved and locked into an operative position preventing the ring from becoming disengaged while in tow. When a ball and socket hitching arrangement is required, the retaining bracket is pivoted and locked into an inoperative position. The socket of a trailing vehicle may then be moved into engagement with a ball formed at the upper end of the pintle.

United States Patent 1191 Charlton Dec. 18, 1973 TRAILER HITCH [76]lnventor: William D. Charlton, 614 Second St., Cheney, Wash. 99004 [22]Filed: Nov. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 196,521

Primary ExaminerAndrew V. Kundrat AttorneyGreek Wells et al.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A trailer hitch for a towing vehicle, providing thecapability for towing trailing vehicles having either ball and socket orring and pintle hitching arrangements. The hitch includes a base whichsupports an upright pintle and a movable ring retaining bracket. When aring and pintle hitching arrangement is required, the towing ring on atrailing vehicle is placed over the pintle. The retaining bracket isthen moved and locked into an operative position preventing the ringfrom becoming disengaged while in tow. When a ball and socket hitchingarrangement is required, the retaining bracket is pivoted and lockedinto an inoperative position. The socket of a trailing vehicle may thenbe moved into engagement with a ball formed at the upper end of thepintle.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures WWW 1 a ma SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG 5 TRAILER HITCHBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Several types of hitch assemblies arepresently in use for operatively con necting towing vehicles to trailingvehicles. Hitch assemblies utilized for towing on roadways are generallyof a standard ball and socket type while couplings utilized primarilyfor off-road towing usually involve ring and pintle arrangement.

In the past, vehicles which were designed for off-road towing couldseldom be utilized for towing on roadways at reasonable speeds. Further,vehicles utilized for towing on roadways were not usually designed fortowing purposes off roadways for reasons including lack of power, groundclearance, etc. Therefore, there seldom existed a need for hitchassemblies other than those designed specifically for one type ofhitching arrangement.

Advancements in the auto and truck industries, however, have greatlyincreased the versatility of towing vehicles thereby providingcapability for efficient towing either on or off roads. This advancementhas created difficulty in that both the ring and socket hitches arestill in prominent use, each requiring a different type of hitchingarrangement on the towing vehicle.

The presentinvention was conceived to eliminate the above describeddifficulty by providing a hitch device attachable to towing vehicles foraccommodating either a ring or a socket to form an operable link betweentowing vehicles and trailers.

The device includes a base fixed at one end to the towing vehicle andprojecting outwardly to support a pintle having a ball integrally formedat its upper end. A pivotable bracket is located adjacent the pintle formovement to an operative position preventing disengagement when thehitch is utilized as a ring and pintle type hitch. The retaining bracketis also movable to an inoperative position facilitating engagement ofthe ball by a socket to form a ball and socket type hitch.

Related prior patents include:

3,385,611 Silver 3,326,576 Kothmann 3,522,958 Lusignan 3,827,307 Osborn3,479,057 Mlller 2,872,213 Hosford 2,940,775 Farrow et al.

Osborns device incorporates a horizontally rotatable plate fixed to atowing vehicle having several different towing hitches fixed thereto,the plate being selectively rotated to an operative position toaccommodate matching connectors on trailer vehicles.

Hosfords device is utilized to provide two different size ball hitcheseach of which may be selectively pivoted about a horizontal axis to anoperative position thereby accommodating either of two different sizedtrailer sockets.

Silver's patent discloses a hitching device utilizing a verticallyaligned ball and pintle for simultaneously engaging a vertically alignedsocket and ring assembly for a trailer.

Kothmans patent similary discloses a double coupling utilizing a balland socket simultaneously with a ring and pintle coupling Farrowsdisclosure basically describes an adapter utilized to extend betweendraft and drawn vehicles enabling trailers with socket hitches to becoupled to towing vehicles having drawbar type hitches.

The remaining patents granted to Miller and Lusignan describe safetydevices for use with ball and socket type couplings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention basically comprises avehicle trailer hitch to be attached to a towing vehicle and adapted tofacilitate engagement by either a ring or a socket of a trailingvehicle. The device includes a base supporting an upright post having aball formed at the upper end. The post is adapted to be encircled by aring, and the ball by a socketon a trailing vehicle. A bracket ispivotably mounted to the base inwardly from the post and ball forselective manual movement between an operative position, where anintegral arm extends over the base to position adjacent the ball, and asecond position with the arm clear of the ball. A latching means isprovided on the bracket to facilitate manual looking at either position.

A first object of my invention is to provide a trailer hitch that may bequickly and easily adjusted to accommodate either a socket or a ring ofa trailing vehicle.

An additional object is to provide such a trailer hitch having immovableconnector elements, thereby eliminating the need for movable oradjustable mounts on either hitch element.

A further object is to provide such a trailer hitch that is relativelyinexpensive and simple to construct.

These and further objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing disclosure, taken with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate two alternate preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating one embodiment of my invention,its components and their relation to one another;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of the locking mechanism of myinvention taken along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the locking mechanism ina raised, pivotable position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating my invention with the lockingmechanism in an inoperative position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an alternate form of my inventionengaged by the socket of a trailing vehicle; I

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the hitch engaged by the ringof a trailing vehicle; and

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to theaccompanying drawings, a trailer hitch basically comprising my inventionmay be viewed as indicated by the reference numeral 10. Hitch 10 isdesigned to be rigidly affixed to a towing vehicle 11 for effectivelyproviding engagement with either a socket or ring towing member on atrailing vehicle.

The hitch l0 generically includes a base 14 for mounting to towingvehicles. A rearward extension 15 of base 14 provides rigid support toan upwardly projecting standard 12. A ball 17 and pintle 16 areintegrally formed at the upper end of standard 12. Ball 17 is utilizedfor engaging a socket 18 (FIGS. 4 and 5) at the forward end of atrailing vehicle (not shown). The

pintle 16 is designed to be encircled by a ring 19 (FIGS. 1 and 6) of atrailing vehicle.

When utilized for engagement with a ring 19, a pivotable bracket 20 ismoved and locked, by a latching mechanism 21, into an operative positionas viewed in FIGS. 1 and 6. Bracket 20, in this position, createspartial enclosure to prevent ring 19 from becoming disengaged frompintle 16 while in tow. In order for ball 17 to accommodate a socket 18,bracket 20 is pivoted and locked at an inoperative position as viewed inFIGS. 4 and 5.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate in detail a first embodiment of my invention. Base14 of this embodiment is a substantially horizontal elongated bar, fixedto the underside of towing vehicle 11. integral extension 15 of base 14protrudes rearwardly from vehicle 11 to provide support for bracket 20and standard 12 at the rearward end thereof. Bracket 20 is located onextension 15 between standard 12 and vehicle 11 for selective pivotalmovement about the vertical axis of a bolt 22 which is parallel to thevertical axis of standard 12 and spaced inwardly therefrom along thelongitudinal center of vehicle 11. An arm 28 extends from the uppermostportion of bracket 20 to span the distance between bolt 22 and theexterior surface of ball 17 when bracket 20 is in the operative positionillustrated in FIG. 1. In this operative position, arm 28 completes apartial closure, with bracket 20, standard 12 and extension 15 being thesides thereof.

Bracket 20 is downwardly biased by a compression spring 25 mountedbetween the head of bolt 22 and a horizontal portion of bracket 20located vertically below. A spring clip 26 is also mounted adjacent thehead of bolt 22 and is vertically supported by spring 25. Clip 26extends outwardly, then downward to engage bracket 20 along a ledge 29(FIG. 2). Clip 26, when engaging ledge 29, prevents vertical movement ofbracket 20 on bolt 22 by completing a substantially rigid connectionbetween bracket 20 and bolt 22. Clip 26 may, however, be manuallydisengaged from ledge 29 and allowed to slidably engage a downwardlyinclined surface 27 of bracket 20 as it is raised (FIG. 3) prior tobeing pivoted to either the operative or inoperative position.

In the raised position, as viewed in FIG. 3, the side walls of arectangular opening 24 located along the bottom edge of bracket 20 arelifted free from engagement with corresponding sides of a square lockingnut 23. Te bracket 20 while in this raised position, may then beselectively pivoted to an operative or inoperative position (FIGS. 1 and4 respectively) where it may be lowered and locked into that position.Upon lowering bracket 20, the sides of opening 24 become engaged withcorresponding sides of nut 23 as clip 26 progressively slides alonginclined surface 27. As the bottom edge of bracket 20 comes to rest onthe top surface of extension 15, the spring clip 26 snaps inwardly intoengagement with ledge 29, thereby locking bracket 20 in the selectedposition.

A second embodiment of my invention may be viewed in FIGS. -7.

In this particular embodiment, base 14 is substantially vertical, beingaffixed to a vertical portion along the rear end of a towing vehicle 11.Extension is formed as an integral part of base 14 and extends outwardlytherefrom to support bracket and standard 12.

Standard 12 in this embodiment is semicircular, extending firstdownwardly from extension 15, then upwardly to conform somewhat to thetoroid shape of ring 19 (FIG. 6). Pintle 16 is formed as an integralpart of the semicircular configuration of standard 12 with ball 17integrally formed at the upper end thereof.

Bracket 20 is also semicircular in configuration and is pivotablymounted to extension 15 for selective movement between the inoperativeand operative positions shown by FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively. Bracket 20is pivoted about the horizontal axis of a pin 30 which extendstransversely through bracket 20 and extension 15.

Latching mechanism 21 includes an arm 32 pivotally mounted to bracket 20by a pin 31, the axis of which is parallel to that of pin 30. A torsionspring 33 is utilized between bracket 20 and arm 32 to slightly bias arm32 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5. Arm 32 is utilizedto lock bracket 20 at the inoperative operative position, by selectivelyengaging one of two successive complementary slots 34, 35 in extension15.

To move bracket 20 from the inoperative position to the operativeposition, the operator simply pivots arm 32 away from engagement withslot 34, pivots bracket 20 to the operative position, then releases arm32 to engage slot 35. Movement of bracket 20 from the operative positionto the inoperative position is accomplished by repeating theabove-described operation in reverse.

When bracket 20 is in an inoperative position, a ring 19 (FIG. 1 and 5)of a trailing vehicle may be fitted over ball 17 to encircle pintle 16.Bracket 20 may then be pivoted and locked into an operative position toform an enclosed link thereby preventing ring 19 from becomingdisengaged from the hitch 10.

Further, in order to complete a couple between towing vehicle 11 and atrailing vehicle having a socket type hitch member 18, the bracket 20 issimply unlatched, pivoted away from ball 17, and locked in aninoperative position (FIGS. 4 and 5). Socket 18 may then be easilysecured to ball 17 in the usual fashion.

It should be noted that the above-described operations of hitch 10 maybe easily and quickly accomplished byhand without need for tools. I

Modifications may obviously be made in the specific features shown andtherefore the foregoing description is not intended to limit or torestrict the scope of this application, the invention being set out inthe following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle hitch adapted for mounting to a towing vehicle tofacilitate attachment to a trailing vehicle having either aball-receiving socket member or a horizontal ring member on the forwardend thereof, comprising:

a base support adapted for attachment to the rear of the towing vehicle;

a rearwardly protruding extension integral with said base support andextending therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction;

an upstanding standard at the rear end of said extension adapted to beencircled by a horizontal ring member;

a spherical ball fixed to the upper end of said standard adapted to beengaged by a ball-receiving socket member; said standard being centeredrelative to the ball and having cross-sectional dimensions in ahorizontal plane which are less than the ball diameter;

an upright shaft affixed to the extension spaced from the uprightstandard;

a bracket pivotally mounted on the shaft for selective pivotal movementbetween a first angular position in which the bracket extends to theball to prevent a socket member or a horizontal ring member fromdisengaging from the ball or standard and a second angular position toenable the socket member or the ring member to be readily disengagedfrom the ball or standard respectively and for selective axial movementbetween a down axial position adjacent released.

1. A vehicle hitch adapted for mounting to a towing vehicle tofacilitate attachment to a trailing vehicle having either aballreceiving socket member or a horizontal ring member on the forwardend thereof, comprising: a base support adapted for attachment to therear of the towing vehicle; a rearwardly protruding extension integralwith said base support and extending therefrom in a substantiallyhorizontal direction; an upstanding standard at the rear end of saidextension adapted to be encircled by a horizontal ring member; aspherical ball fixed to the upper end of said standard adapted to beengaged by a ball-receiving socket member; said standard being centeredrelative to the ball and having cross-sectional dimensions in ahorizontal plane which are less than the ball diameter; an upright shaftaffixed to the extension spaced from the upright standard; a bracketpivotally mounted on the shaft for selective pivotal movement between afirst angular position in which the bracket extends to the ball toprevent a socket member or a horizontal ring member from disengagingfrom the ball or standard and a second angular position to enable thesocket member or the ring member to be readily disengaged from the ballor standard respectively and for selective axial movement between a downaxial position adjacent the extension in which the bracket is preventedfrom pivoting on the shaft and an up axial position in which the bracketis pivotable; a spring mounted on shaft engaging the bracket to bias thebracket to the down axial position; and a manually releasable elementselectively engageable between the shaft and the bracket to normallyprevent the bracket from being moved axially against the spring to theup axial position until manually released.